


Panpipes Are Surprisingly Soothing.

by lsabelle_k



Series: Percy's Best Friend. [1]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: ?? - Freeform, And Grover plays his panpipes to calm Nico down, And this is probably really bad, Filipino Character, Filipino Grover Underwood, I don't even know when this takes place, I'm trying, Nico doesn't know how to human, No beta reader, SO, That's it, This Is STUPID, Writing Nico is harder than I thought it would be, that is all this is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:07:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24482509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lsabelle_k/pseuds/lsabelle_k
Summary: Nico gets a moment with Grover.
Relationships: No Romantic Relationship(s)
Series: Percy's Best Friend. [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1768498
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	Panpipes Are Surprisingly Soothing.

**Author's Note:**

> I am not Filipino and used a translator for the one Filipino word so...yeah.

Nico didn’t want to be on this quest with Percy, Annabeth or Grover.

He didn’t want to be here but he had to be! And they ‘had’ to split up too.

Grover’s a fucking idiot for suggesting it. Well, actually, Nico was a little glad they split up since Annabeth and Percy’s bricking was kind of getting to him and making him want to punch both demigods. He’d never get away with that.

Anyways, even if it did make him feel better, he still thought splitting up was stupid.

Anyways, he was paired up with Grover which he didn’t know how to feel about,

He had expected to get his ear talked off due to Grover’s nervous rambling but the satyr was silent, flipping his panpipes in his hands and was keeping his eyes to himself.

It was weird. Granted Nico liked the silence but it was weird.

Very weird.

They right now were resting against a wide oak tree. They weren’t touching at all.

Nico had sat down first and Grover after him but had scouted away when he realized he was touching Nico’s jacket slightly. That was nice.

But the weird silence was the only thing on his mind. Nico doesn’t think he’s ever heard Grover this quiet. It was weird.

“Okay, your too quiet.” Nico said finally deciding to just say something, anything to make him feel less weird.

“Do you to talk about something?” Grover asked, turning to look at Nico.

He continued to fiddle with the panpipes in his hands.

“Uh, sure.” Nico finally answered. Maybe he should start with questions? Bianca always said that was the best way to find out more about a person. Nico was good at questions, well, he thinks so. He sure did ask a lot when he was younger. “Uh, where were you born?”

Then Nico mentally slapped himself. Rude! That was a rude question! YOU COULD HAVE ASKED ANYTHING ELSE! BUT NO, YOU HAD TO ASK THAT ONE.

Nico peaked at Grover’s face surprised but not offended. At least he thinks.

“Personal questions, okay, um. I was born in the Philippines.” Grover answered.

“Oh, I didn’t know that.” Nico said biting back the question he wanted to ask. Are the Japanese still in the Philippines? Nico heard from people talking Japan had attacked the Philippines. He would guess by now they had taken the Philippines as their own. So, were they still there?

“Something you want to ask?” Grover asked scaring Nico.

“Well, uh, yes. Is the Philippines its own country or is it part of Japan?” Nico asked trying to phase the question as best as he could.

“Been its own country since July, 4th, 1946!” Grover said louder than Nico expected. “Gods, I can’t believe I still remember that.”

Nico couldn’t help but feel sad at all the times he’s missed since he’s been in the Lotus Hotel.

1941 to 20-something. So much time lost.

No, no—stop thinking!

“What does Filipino sound like?” Nico asked nervous that he had used the wrong word.

Grover didn’t look offended, so Nico probably used the right word. He hopes.

“Ganito.” Grover answered after a seconds pause.

Nico stared at Grover.

That sounded so cool! He hadn’t ever heard another language other than English and, well, Italian, He hadn’t ever heard an Asian language! He kinda always wanted to learn one.

Wait. wait. He might be bothering Grover. Grover seemed to nice of a guy to say anything about it. Maybe, he should just move on. It’ll be better if he does. He shouldn't bother the one guy who seemed to like him. Grover had to be annoyed with him by now. There was always a time when to drop a topic.

Or drop the question game.

Nico decided the best way to end it was to just stay quiet and Grover stayed quiet on his side, and the awkward silence came back.

But at least Grover didn’t try to get him talk again.

Instead he turned and looked at his panpipes again.

Nico started fiddling with his jacket trim.

Why was this so awkward? Why? Why couldn’t Nico just get his shit together and not make people uncomfortable? Why did people have to be so...so complicated!?

Why can’t they just be simple?

Nico suddenly jumped when he heard something sounding like a flute.

It sounded nice. He turned to look to Grover to ask who was playing a flute, but Grover was busy playing his panpipes.

Oh, idiot.

Grover looked oddly peaceful while playing the pipes.

The music coming from the panpipes were soothing. Like he said it sounded much like a flute. It sounded nice.  
Nico watched Grover as he continued play his panpipes. Flowers started growing around the area they were in. They were yellow flowers but Nico wasn’t sure what type.

But damn was Grover good at playing the panpipes. But all satyrs were probably good at playing panpipes.

Nico leaned back against the tree and a wave of tiredness washed over him.

Might as well go to sleep. There on break and Grover was there. Grover wouldn't mind, right? They'd be going to sleep soon anyways.

Yeah, he could go to sleep.

[NEXT DAY]

Nico woke up to someone making noises like metal against metal.

Grover was packing everything up putting some metals bowls in his backpack.

“Oh, good your awake!” Grover said as Nico stood up.

“Oh, how, um, long was I asleep?” Nico asked.

“You passed out before the sun went down.” Grover answered. “And it’s dawn now.”

“Oh.” Nico said.

“Anyways you want to start walking?” Grover asked, hoisting the backpack onto his shoulders. His panpipes were being held in his left hand. “If we start now, we’ll probably get there before Percy and Annabeth!”

“Really?” Nico asked.

“Yep!” Grover confirmed. “Oh, here.”

Grover held out a granola bar for Nico to grab which the Son of Hades took.

“Thanks.” Nico said opening the bar.

“Your welcome.” Grover replied. “Now are you ready to start walking?”  
Nico nodded and the pair of boys walked back down to the path and started walking.

They walked in silence while Nico was mentally fighting himself.

Nico wanted to tell Grover that his panpipes were nice but he didn’t know how to say it. How would you even say that?

‘Hey, your panpipe playing is nice’ or ‘Your panpipes put me to sleep’.

Nico had no idea how to phase it. It would probably come out wrong.

“Grover,” Nico began deciding to just go for it, “your panpipes are nice. Well, your good at playing them.”

“Thank you!” Grover said. “I’m glad you liked it.”

Nico nodded and the silence came back.

But it wasn’t as awkward as before. It was more comfortable now.

Nico was glad for the change.

Nico didn't realize till later that was the time in months he'd gotten a full nights sleep. It was nice.


End file.
